guidance

guidance — noun

1. helpful suggestions, information, or direction given to someone who needs to mak

1.nounB1
Definition

helpful suggestions, information, or direction given to someone who needs to make a decision, develop a skill, or deal with a difficult situation

Example

Imran asked his career advisor for guidance on which job offer to accept.

collocation: ask for guidance

Under the guidance of Professor Eitan, the students completed their first chemistry experiment safely.

collocation: under the guidance of [person]

Common collocations
  • career guidance
  • guidance counselor
  • seek guidance
  • provide guidance
  • guidance on
  • under the guidance of
  • moral guidance
  • parental guidance
  • spiritual guidance
  • expert guidance
Synonyms
  • advice

    more general; can be one opinion or a continuing process, while guidance often implies ongoing support

  • direction

    emphasises a clear path or instruction rather than general suggestions

  • counseling

    more formal and often relates to emotional or psychological support

  • mentoring

    specifically involves a more experienced person guiding a less experienced one over time

Antonyms
  • misguidance

    bad or wrong guidance that leads to mistakes

Grammar Patterns

guidance on [topic]

under the guidance of [person]

guidance from [person]

Usage Note

This noun is uncountable. Do not write 'a guidance' or 'guidances'. Instead use 'some guidance', 'a piece of guidance', or 'guidance' alone. Example: ✅ 'She offered me some guidance.' ❌ 'She offered me a guidance.'

Common Mistakes

My teacher gave me a guidance on the project.
My teacher gave me some guidance on the project.
'guidance' is uncountable and cannot take the article 'a'.
I need guidances for my career choices.
I need guidance for my career choices.
'guidance' has no plural form.

2. the technology used to control where a missile, rocket, or similar weapon goes a

2.nounC1
Definition

the technology used to control where a missile, rocket, or similar weapon goes after it has been fired, so that it reaches its target

Example

The missile's guidance system uses satellite signals to stay on course.

collocation: guidance system

Engineers at the research center developed a new guidance technology for naval rockets.

collocation: guidance technology

Common collocations
  • guidance system
  • missile guidance
  • guidance technology
  • guidance control
  • laser guidance
  • infrared guidance
  • satellite guidance
Synonyms
  • navigation

    broader term covering path-finding for any vehicle; not specific to weapons

  • steering

    simpler word for the act of directing movement, but less technical in military contexts

Grammar Patterns

guidance system

guidance technology

Usage Note

In this technical sense, 'guidance' often appears as part of a compound noun such as 'guidance system' or 'missile guidance'. It is rarely used alone without a modifier in this meaning.

Word family

  • guide
    verbB1
  • guide
    nounB1
  • guided
    adjectiveB2
  • guiding
    adjectiveB2
  • guideline
    nounB2
  • misguide
    verbC1
  • misguided
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words involve helping someone decide or act, but they differ in scope and setting. 'Advice' is the broadest — a single opinion or recommendation (e.g., 'He gave me advice on my résumé'). 'Direction' is more specific and instructional; it tells someone exactly what steps to take ('Follow the teacher's directions for the lab'). 'Counseling' is more formal and personal, often involving emotional or psychological support over multiple sessions ('She sought counseling after losing her job'). 'Mentoring' implies a long-term relationship where a more experienced person guides a less experienced one ('Her mentor offered mentoring on leadership skills'). Use 'guidance' when the help is ongoing and comes from someone with relevant knowledge or wisdom, somewhere between a single piece of advice and formal counseling.

advice ↗direction ↗counselingmentoring

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a piece of guidance
  • seek guidance
  • provide guidance
  • offer guidance
  • receive guidance

Prepositions

  • guidance on
  • guidance from
  • under the guidance of
  • guidance for

Etymology

GermanicOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'guidance' comes from the Old French verb 'guider' (to show the way or lead), which itself came from the Germanic base 'witan' (to know or see). The English suffix '-ance' turns the action of guiding into a noun, meaning 'the process or act of guiding.' The first known use in English was around the early 1400s, originally referring to the act of physically leading someone to a place. By the 1500s, it had developed the figurative sense of giving advice or direction in life decisions. The missile-control meaning emerged in the mid-1900s with the development of military technology.